Suction cleaner



l 1s 432 Jul 18 1933. D. G. sMELLlE ETAL 1,9

y .SUCTION CLEANER vFiled July 12, 1929 Nlluu my;

Patented July 18, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DONALD G. SMELLIE AND HARRY B. WHITE, OF CANTON, OHIO, AND MARVIN' E.

NULSN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOBS T0 TEE HOOVER COMPANY, A 00B- PORATION OF OHIO SUCTION CLEANER Application led July 12, 1929. Serial No. 377,642.

This invention relates to suction cleaners,

v and in particular to suction cleaners providf ed with positive agitating means of the type disclosed in. our co-pending application,

Serial No. 80,731, filed January 12, 1926, of

which the present application is a. continuation in part.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide, in a suction cleaner, an arrangement of parts which will result in increased cleaning eiciency. Al further ob-y is to provide,

ject of the present invention -in a suction cleaner construction provided with positive agitating means, an arrangement of parts which will insure a minimum resistance to movement of the machine over the surface covering undergoing cleaning. still further object is the provision of a suction cleaner construction in which the positive agitator is so arranged that the resistance to movement of the machinercaused b the use of high vacuum is materially reduce A still further object of the present invention is the provision of a metallic rotary agitator within the suction nozzle which w1ll prevent undue displacement of the surface covering within the suction nozzle. Other and more specific objects of appear from the following detailed descrip- $0 tion, and'the claims annexed theretoy upon consideration thereof in connection with the appended drawing.

` Referring now to the drawing, like reference characters refer to the same parts of the various views:

Figure 1 is a side view, partly in section, of a suction cleaner constructed in accordance with the present invention. p

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the agitating unit shown in Figure 1. A

In the drawing, the-reference character 1 refers to a suction cleaner, constructed in accordance with the present invention, which comprises the usual motor casing 2 supported upon a main casting 3 of unitary construction and providing a fan chamber 4, a suction nozzle 5, and an exhaust outlet 6. The main casting is supported upon the surface undergoing cleaning by front supporting Wheels 7-7, of which one is shown 1n the` the invention will in which drawing, and rear supporting Wheels 8 8,

the position of which relative to the cleaner,

may be varied by means of the adjusting mechanism indicated generally b the reference character 9. The shaft 10 o the motor, which is not shown in detail, projects downwardly from the motor casing 2 through the fan chamber 4 and into the suction nozzle 5, where it is provided at its end with a pulley 11 which functions as hereinafter described. Positioned within the fa-n chamber 4, and carried by the motor shaft 10, is the fan 12, which functions, in the operation of the ma- `chine, to draw air from the suction nozzle 5, through the fan chamber 4, and exhaust same through the exhaust outlet 6 into a receiving A member attached thereto, indicated generally by the reference character .13. Positioned within the suction nozzle 5, upon a nonrotatable shaft 14, which is,carried by the main casting 3, is the rotary `a-gitator member 15, disclosed in front elevation in Figure 2.

The agitator member 15 comprises a cylindrical body 16, the `'surface of which is extremely smooth, being preferably highly polished. Positioned uponk the cylindrical surface of the 4body 16, and extending helically therearound, are positive beating members indicated by the reference character 17, also of metal and extremely smooth. Secured to the agitator member 15 below the surface of the body 16, but extending thereabove, are the parallel brushes 18-18 which coo rate with the beaters 17 to agitato the sur ace covering, when the machine is in operation. `End plates 19-19 are positioned at the ends of the agitating member and enclose the ends thereof, and, positioned approximately midway of the structure, is the pulley 20 which lreceives the driving belt 21 by which the rotary 'agitator member is driven from the driving pulley 11.

In the operation of a cleaner constructed p in accordance with the present invention, the rotation of the suction fan 12 creates a re- 95 duced pressure within the suction nozzle 5,l and the surface covering undergoing cleaning is lifted upwardly and contacts with the forward lip 21 and the rearward lip 22of said nozzle. The cleaning air, passing under 100 -the lips 21 and 22, serves to remove the forpressure within the nozzle 5 the more effec tive is the cleaning air. In the usual cleaner provided with the relatively vvide s uction mouth requisite to housing pos1t1ve agitatin means, the use of hi h vacuum is prohibite by reason of the un ue displacement of the surface covering within the nozzleand between the lips 21 and 22, which results in a binding action and a prohibitive increase in the resistance to movement of the 'Inachine over the surface being cleaned. According to the present invention a third contacting means functioning to limit-the upward displacement .of the surface covering is positioned between the nozzle lips in the form of the smoothly polished cylindrical body of the rotary agitator which extends substantially into the plane of the nozzle lips. The smooth surface of the cylindrical body Jis absolutely necessary to theinvention, because a slightly rough surface on a body in rotary contact with the surface covering would result in undue wear to said covering, and it is necessary to avoid the placing of a prohibitive load upon the driving motor through the frictional resistance to rotation of the rotor. A surface evenslightly rough would defeat the object of the present invention, namely the reduction in the resistance to movement of the machine, through the tendency to pull the cleaner over the surface in one direction, which would be the direction opposite to that in which the operator would wish it to move one-half of the time. The agitatin elements 17 and the brushes 18, upon the sur ace of the body 16, serve to agitate the surface covering since they intermittently contact with it during the rotation of the element 15, but the normal position of said surface covering is determined by its linev of contact with the major cylindrical portion of the surface of body 16..

We claim:

1. In combination, in a suction cleaner provided with a suction nozzle having spaced lips thereon, means to lift a surface covering undergoing cleaning into contact with said lips, a rotary agitator comprising a smooth 'substantially cylindrical body Within said nozzle having an agitating element thereon, said cylindrical body projecting substantially into the plane of the nozzle lips.

2. In combination, in a suction cleaner provided with a suction nozzle having spaced lips thereon, and means to lifta surface covering undergoing cleaning against said lips, a metallic rotary agitator Within the nozzle comprising a body with an agitating element thereon, said body being substantially cylindrical and arranged in said n'ozzle to extend substantially into the plane defined by the nozzle lips to contact with the lifted surface covering and to define the limit to which the surface covering can be lifted.

3. In combination, in a suction cleaner provided with a suction nozzle having spaced lips thereon, and means to lift the surface covering undergoing cleaning against s aid lips, a driven rotary substantially cyhndrlcal agitator within the nozzle having a smooth metallic surface extending substantially into the plane of the nozzle lips and contacting the surface covering to limit the upward displacement of said covering substantially to .the plane of the nozzle lips, the surface of said ,agitator being provided with a protrusion forming an agitating element.

4. In combination, in a suction cleaner provided with a'suction nozzle having spaced lips thereon, a driven rotary agitator within the nozzle comprising a substantially cylindrical body having a smooth surface and having rigid projecting elements thereon, said cylindrical body extending substantially into the plane of the nozzle lips and'said pro- Vjecting elements extending therebelow in" some rotary positions of said agitator.

5. In combination, in a suction cleaner provided with a suction nozzle having lips defining a suction mouth, a driven rotary agftator Within the suction nozzle, said agitator having a polished metallic surface extend- I' 95 ing substantially into the plane defined by the lips of the nozzle, amajor portion of said metallic surface being continuous and acting to limit the extent to which a surface covering being cleaned will be drawn into the suction nozzle, and other portions of said surface extending radially beyond said major portion and effecting an agitation of the surface covering being cleaned.

6. In combination, in a suction cleaner' provided with a suction nozzle having lips defining a suction mouth, a driven substantially cylindrical body substantially filling the suction mouth, and extending substantially into the plane defined by the, nozzle lips and having a smooth surface for engagement with the surface covering being cleaned and rigid agitating elements on said cylindrical body.

7. In combination, in a suction cleanerA operatively connected with said prime mover,

said agitator comprising ay smooth surfaced c lindrical lbody and a series Vof agitatin elements mounted thereon, said cylindrica bod being positioned in said suction nozzle so t at its bottom portion extends substantially into the plane defined by the nozzlelips,

v said series of agitat-ing elements being so arranged on said body vas to provide surfaces on said bod capable of contacting throughyout their axial length with a surface covering undergoing cleanin DofALDG. SMELLIE. lHARRY B. WHITE. MARVIN E. NULSEN.. 

